When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss — who also happens to be her drug dealer — to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

REVIEW

For those of you that enjoyed the sweet, emotional torture that was City of Ghosts, this is yet another roller coaster ride for the heart. Whether it's pounding in fear, or breaking in sympathy, this book was satisfying on pretty much every level.

Like with many other series, the Downside Ghosts, or Chess Putnam series if you prefer, has only improved with each book as we've learned more and tried to understand these incredibly complex characters. Because of the raw, damaged nature of our main character, Chess, you can never quite predict her reaction to situations. Whether her insecurities and paranoia stem from her drug use, or whether that's just a symptom of the bigger issues is up for your debate, and this series is definitely one that provides much food for thought.

If it's even possible, and frankly, before this book I wouldn't have said it was, I think I fell even more in love with Terrible this time around. He might think he's not good with words, or "with the explains" as he would say, but trust me when I say that what he comes out with is just fine by me! There were many squee-worthy scenes to be savoured. Terrible fans will not be disappointed in this instalment!

The ghostly plot was my favourite so far, I think. It was on a slightly smaller scale- contained mostly within the walls of a school over on Slobag's side of town- but it was very well executed and displayed Chess's strengths and gave her something to concentrate on rather than tying herself in knots about everything else that's going on.

For anyone that hasn't picked up this amazing series yet, or perhaps you've seen it floating around on peoples' shelves but have been put off by the fact that the MC is an addict, I have to implore you to reconsider. This is such an addictive (ha), compelling series. Like car-crash TV in a book, that smacks you right in the face with no apologies, you would really be missing out if you were to, um, judge it by its cover. (Did I really say that? Why yes. Yes I did)